Former trainer sues Clippers, alleges team tampered prior to signing Kawhi Leonard

Former Los Angeles Clippers trainer Randy Shelton is suing the team and general manager Lawrence Frank for wrongful termination, claiming he was fired for complaining that superstar Kawhi Leonard was being unsafely treated for injuries.

The lawsuit also alleges that there was tampering involved for years before the Clippers signed Leonard in the summer of 2019 after he helped the Toronto Raptors win the NBA title.

NBA insider Chris Haynes was first to report the lawsuit. The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Los Angeles County by attorneys representing Shelton.

Shelton, a former Clippers strength and conditioning coach, said in the lawsuit that he was hired in 2019 in an effort to lure Leonard to Los Angeles. Shelton had worked with Leonard for years, dating back to his time playing for the San Diego State Aztecs in 2011.

"Shelton's hiring with the LA Clippers was the culmination of a multi-year campaign by the LA Clippers to sign Kawhi Leonard, in disregard for the NBA's prohibitions on tampering," the lawsuit says.

According to the lawsuit, the Clippers began their pursuit of Leonard, through Shelton, following his injury in the 2017 Western Conference Finals. That injury kept Leonard out for the first 27 games of the 2017-18 regular season and created a "rift" between Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs organization, with whom he was under contract for two more seasons.

It states that Clippers assistant general manager Mark Hughes sought "private health information" about Leonard and that he set up numerous meetings with the trainer beginning in 2017 to find out about his contractual requirements and medical situation.

The suit alleges that the two sides spoke approximately 15 times on the phone and had at least seven meetings.

It adds that Frank met with Shelton in San Diego in 2019 (while Leonard was with the Raptors) to discuss "Leonard's willingness to join the Clippers and assuring Leonard (through Shelton) that the Clippers would provide all necessary provisions for his success at the highest level in free agency and all of the vital members who could have an impact in Leonard's decision."

Allegedly, Shelton and Frank also discussed the trainer having a position within the team should Leonard join the Clippers in free agency.

According to a report from Baxter Holmes and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, Shelton is seeking "significant" but unspecified damages at trial, per his attorneys.

Shelton alleges he was wrongfully fired after he filed a complaint to Frank following Leonard's meniscus tear in the 2023 post-season against the Phoenix Suns. In the complaint, he said that the "mishandling of Kawhi Leonard's injury and return-to-play protocol has been mind-blowing," and "the disregard for his recovery process is unacceptable."

Shelton claims that the organization found his complaints to be unsubstantiated and he was terminated without cause in July 2023. He added that he was not compensated for wages owed, including expenses and reimbursements.

“Mr. Shelton’s claims were investigated and found to be without merit. We honoured Mr. Shelton’s employment contract and paid him in full.  This lawsuit is a belated attempt to shake down the Clippers based on accusations that Mr. Shelton should know are false,” the Clippers said in a statement issued to Haynes.

Haynes also received a statement from John David, one of Shelton's attorneys, stating: “We hope that our client’s lawsuit will serve as a wakeup call to the Clippers organization that their players are not just dollar values, but are humans requiring proper — and not hastened — health and recovery treatment for their careers and lives afterwards."

Shelton's attorneys also said they're willing to talk with the NBA about their knowledge surrounding the Clippers' tampering processes in the recruitment of Leonard.